Cleaning gun



Nov. 5., 1963 A. L. FLETCHER 3,109,594

' CLEANING GUN Filed Jan. 25, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR ALBERT L. PLETCHER Wag/22:

ATTORN EY Nov. 5, 1963 A. L. FLETCHER CLEANING GUN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1962 flllf fll/ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,109,594 CLEANKNG GUN Albert L. Fletcher, St. Pctersburg, Fla, assignor to iCBA Incorporated, a corporation of Michigan Filed .lan. 25, 1962, Ser. N 168,653 1 Claim. (Cl. 239-428) This invention relates to cleaning guns and more particularly to a cleaning gun for combining a plurality of components in a single blast or spray for cleaning grease, dirt and other foreign matter from engines and other parts of automobiles and from other surfaces including metal, wood, plastic and masonry.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning gun for discharging a jet stream comprising three combined components which is portable, light in weight, readily and economically manufactured, and which is more eflicient than prevously known cleaning guns.

In carrying out my invention in one preferred form I provide a head structure for a cleaning gun which has three nozzles arranged in sequential relation in a barrel member. All three nozzles are coaxial with the axis of the barrel member and the second nozzle has a larger inside diameter than the first while the third nozzle has a larger inside diameter than the second nozzle. Provision is made for the release of compressed gas, preferably air, under pressure through the first nozzle. There are three openings through the wall of the barrel. One of these admits a component such as water or other liquid into a chamber surrounding and above the lower margin of the first nozzle. Another opening into the same chamber admits an adjustable amount of air at atmospheric pressure into the barrel. The third opening admits another co ponent such as sand into a second chamber surrounding and above the lower margin of the second nozzle. The three combined components are discharged from the third nozzle.

For a clearer and more complete understanding of my invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawin wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view partially in section of a cleaning gun embodying the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the head portion of the gun showing in greater detail the features of the present invention, and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of the head portion of the gun with part of the head removed and another part substituted therefor.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the numeral indicates generally a cleaning gun embodying the present invention. The gun ill includes a head portion 12 which is described in greater detail hereinafter. Supporting the head portion '12 and connected thereto are three conduits preferably of metal which are indicated respectively by the numerals l4, l6 and 18. These three conduits are secured together in a suitable manner at 2th to form a unitary structure, and it will be apparent from the drawing that gun id is adapted to be carried and manipulated in the hands of the operator.

A valve 22 operated by a hand lever 24 is adapted to admit air or other gas under pressure into conduit 1d when the valve is opened by the operation of lever 24. The compressed gas is directed to valve 22. through a conduit 26 which is suitably connected to a source of compressed gas.

Conduit 16 has a shut-off valve 28 mounted thereon, and connected to the valve 28 is a flexible conduit 39 made of rubber, plastic or the like, and the end of this conduit is provided with a screw coupling member 32 for coupling conduit 30 to another conduit or other source of liquid or other material to be transmitted through conduit 16 into the head l2.

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installed at the inlet end of conduit 18 is a structure 34 which is adapted to facilitate the entry of sand into conduit 18, although it will be appreciated that other materials can be directed through this conduit if desired. The structure 34 includes a fitting 36 into which conduit '18 and another conduit 38 are secured in sealed relation so that a chamber 46, open at the bottom, is formed below the bottom marginal portions of conduits l8 and 33. FIG. 1 illustrates in phantom a pail 42 which may contain sand 43. As a vacuum is drawn in conduit .18 in a manner described hereinafter, air is drawn into the upper end of conduit 38 above the sand level down into chamber dd, and the turbulence produced as the air flows through chamber 40 up into conduit 18 separates the grains of sand and in efiect holds them in suspension, thereby drawing them into and through conduit 18 Without clogging, which frequently results if a conduit such as 18 is merely stuck into sand without the additional provision of structure 34.

The head $12 of the cleaning gun is illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 2 of the drawing. As shown the head 12 includes an outer elongated annular barrel portion 40 having a coaxial opening 42 extending longitudinally therethrough. The conduit 14 projects in a. counterbore in the right or inlet end of the barrel ill as illustrated in FIG. 2. Immediately to the left of this is a first nozzle member 44 having a cylindrical passageway therethrough. Nozzle member '44- has a curved throat portion 46 to minimize turbulence and friction losses of compressed gas entering nozzle he from conduit 14-. The nozzle 44 also has a tubular portion 48 projecting toward the outlet or left end of the head in spaced relation with the inner wall of opening d2 in the barrel and forming thereby an annular chamber 50.

Conduit 16 is secured in an opening 52 which projects obliquely through the wall of barrel member 40 into chamber 5i and as shown the axis 54 of the conduit 16 and opening 52 makes a 45 angle with the axis 56 of barrel member ll and central opening 42.

A valve member 58 is screwed into another opening 64] through the wall of barrel member 49 which also communicates with chamber Si). Valve 58 will be recognized as an adjustable screw valve which in the position shown admits atmospheric air through passage 62 around the shank portion 64 of the valve screw and through valve passage as into chamber 50. The amount of air admitted in this manner is adjustable by screwing screw member 63 inwardly until the tapered portion 70 on screw member 68 engages seat portion 7?. in passageway 66 which closes the valve and stops the admission of air through it into the chamber Si Below the lower mar-gin 74 of nozzle 44 is a second cylindrical nozzle member 76, larger in diameter than nozzle 44, which has a curved inlet portion 78 to facilitate the entrance of the combined components from conduits l4- and 16 into nozzle '76. Extending toward the outlet is a tubular portion Ell on nozzle 76 having a lower margin S2. The portion 8%? is positioned in spaced relation within an outer member 34, forming an annular chamber 36 between them. While member $4 is shown as a separate piece from barrel member all in this preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated that functionally it is a portion of the barrel of the gun head. The member 84 is made separately in this preferred embodiment so that it is removable in order to facilitate the changing of the nozzles when they become worn. The removal of member 84 is accomplished by removing set screw 88 and then sliding member do to the left with respect to main barrel member all, after disconnecting conduit 18 by means of the sliding coupling structure shown at 9i) in FIG. 1.

Below the lower margin 82 of second nozzle 76 is a third nozzle 92, also having a cylindrical passageway therethrough, which is illustrated as made of rubber or 3 other resilient material. Nozzle 92 is larger in inside diameter than nozzle 76 and is provided with a curved portion 94 at the upper end thereof to facilitate the entry of the combined components emanating from all three of the conduits 14, 16 and 18. The lower margin 95 of nozzle 92 together with the adjacent lower portion of member 84 form the outlet from head 12 for the combined components.

It has been found in actual practice that certain of the dimensions of the parts of the head structure are very important and must be maintained closely in order to provide a cleaning gun which gives satisfactory service with a variety of materials and under varying conditions. Some of the important dimensions are listed below to facilitate the use of the present invention after the patent has expired; however, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to these specific dimensions or otherwise except by the claim appended hereto.

In one preferred form of the invention the inside diameter of nozzle 44 is .109 inch while the outside diameter of the tubular portion thereon projecting toward the outlet is inch, and the length of such tubular portion between the margin 74 and shoulder 96 is .688 inch. The distance between the margin '74 and the intersection of axis 54 with axis 56 is inch. The distance between margin 74 and the upper margin 93 of the second nozzle member is .188 inch.

The inside diameter of the second nozzle member 76 is .219 inch while the outside diameter of the tubular projection on the discharge end is V inch. The distance between lower margin 82 and surface 160 is inch, while the distance between margin 82 and the intersection of axis 56 and the axis 191 of conduit it is inch. The distance between lower margin 82 of nozzle '76 and upper margin 102 of the third nozzle member is inch.

The inner diameter of the third nozzle 92 is .280 inch.

In the operation of the cleaning gun, compressed air or other compressed gas is released through conduit 14 by the manipulation of valve 22, and the magnitude of the resulting blast emanating from the head 12 is adjustable by adjusting the amount of opening of valve 22. As an The passage of the released air at high speed through nozzle 44 produces a partial vacuum in chamber t which draws liquid through conduit 16 into chamber 50 where it is atomized adjacent the lower margin '74 of nozzle 44. I have found that adjustment of valve 58 during operation to admit an optimum amount of air from the atmosphere increases the velocity of the air and liquid mixture which is discharged from the second nozzle 76. Under certain conditions when using a liquid from conduit ldwvhich is under pressure greater than atmospheric it is not necessary to open valve 58. Valve 28 is provided at the entrance to conduit 16 to control the discharge of liquid through conduit 16 in such a situation where liquid is received from conduit 30 already underpressure.

The atomized mixture of air and liquid is forced at high speed through nozzle '76 and the discharge of such mixture from nozzle 76 produces a partial vacuum in chamber 86 which is effective to draw sand or other material from conduit 18 into the head where it is mixed adjacent margin 82 with the mixture from nozzle 76 and the resulting mixture of all the combined components is thence discharged at high velocity through nozzle 92 against the surface or article to be cleaned.

- If it is desired to use the gun for dry sand blasting the valve 28 is closed to prevent the entry of liquid through conduit '16, and if desired the conduit 36' can be removed 4 entirely for such use and the valve 28 then opened to admit additional atmospheric air through conduit 16.

The portion 84 of the head together with nozzle 92 may be removed if desired in the manner described previously, when the gun is used for cleaning with air and a liquid from conduit 16 such as a solvent, detergent, water or other material. This has the advantage of reducing the weight of the gun and also getting the conduit 18 out of the way.

FIG. 3 shows a protective sleeve 194 which may be used if desired to replace member 84 when it is not desired to use conduit 18. This sleeve 104 protects nozzle 76 to prevent damage to it and thus protects the efficiency of the gun.

While I have described and illustrated my invention in a preferred form thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made. I intend to coverby the appended claim all such modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

A head for a cleaning gun comprising, an elongated annular outer barrel member having a central opening extending longitudinally therethrough, a first cylindrical gas nozzle located coaxially within the said central opening, the said first nozzle having a marginal portion directed toward one end of said barrel member which forms the outlet therefrom, the said first nozzle also having a tubular part adjacent the said marginal portion forming a first chamber 'between such tubular part and the wall of the said central opening, a first material opening extending obliquely through the said barrel member into the said first chamber at an angle of approximately with the axis of the said barrel member, the said first material opening entering the said first chamber above the said marginal portion of the first nozzle and being directed toward the said outlet end of the barrel member, an air vent opening extending through the said barrel member into the said first chamber above the said marginal portion of the first nozzle, a valve for adjusting the size of the said air vent, a second cylindrical nozzle having approximately twice the diameter of the first nozzle located below the first nozzle, the said second nozzle having a second lower marginal portion thereon directed toward the said outlet end of the barrel member, a tubular part on the said second nozzle adjacent the said second marginal portion thereof forming a second chamber between such tubular part and the wall of the said central opening, a second material opening extending obliquely through the said barrel member into the said second chamber at an angle of approximately 45 to the said axis, the said second material opening entering the said second chamber above the said second lower marginal portion and being directed toward the said outlet end of the barrel member, and a third cylindrical nozzle located in the said central opening below the said second nozzle and adjacent the said outlet end of the barrel member, the said third nozzle being between 2.5 and 2.6 times the diameter of the said first nozzle.

References ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

